First and Foremost
by AcceberRider
Summary: Tsuna, Juudaime, was all but dismissing him. He'd told him to leave. He wanted him gone... As the Tenth's right hand, he could only oblige..., but as a friend, as Tsuna's friend... he couldn't walk away. "No," he said quietly, defying the order. Fluff


**Anyone who has read Dino and Hiba's Magical Adventure will recognize the style of this story. It is random, there ARE mistakes and I am aware, but they are very limited. I will not edit, or change anything in this story simply because of the fact that when myself and my good buddy, Awed Spectator (w) wrote this, we were both on pop andd Monster highs, having the time of our lives (I hope...), letting those creative juices flow.**

**Unlike our first colab, the one mentioned before, this story takes on more of a serious note later on. It is much less crack then the one before, but in my honest opinion (COUGHCOUGH), both are a good read. :3 So, we take you to the land of Tsuna and Gokudera's somewhat likely, somewhat fluffy moments in our lovely tale. Please forgive the mistakes, the eventual change of usage of honerifics (untwists tongue) and errors and enjoy!**

**Tsuna, Hibari, Lambo, Ryohei: written by Awed Spectator.**

**Gokudera, Dino, Reborn, Yamamoto: written by AcceberRider.**

* * *

Gokudera leapt joyfully towards Tsuna, his silver hair blowing back off of his forehead.

"H-HIIII!" erupting with his signature screech, Tsuna spun to look at his 'assaulter'.

Gokudera grabbed the other boy by his shoulders and began shaking him ruthlessly, not noticing how this affected his boss. "Juudaime!," he cried. "Guess what!"

His vision spinning, Tsuna managed to pry the offending fingers from his shoulders before registering what the boy said. "W-what is it, Gokudera-kun?"

Subconsciously ignoring Tsuna's feeble attempts at escape, he proceeded to spin merrily in a circle, taking the bewildered boy with him. "I've got great news!"

Tsuna let out a shaky laugh, bewildered by the silverette's excitement "That's great, Gokudera-kun...What is it?"

Finally noticing Tsuna's mild distress he was able to calm down enough, backing away with a nervous chuckle. "Well you see, I was with Reborn today and he told me... he told me..." Gokudera's eyes filled with tears at the memory of the home tutor's words.

Tsuna's eyes widened in shock, before he started to flail his arms frantically, believing the Italian to be in sorrow and or pain. "G-Gokudera-kun! What did Reborn do to you?"

"He told me that..." He paused, wiping his tears away and blushing slightly, showing so much emotion before his boss. "He told me I was a good right hand man!"

"..." The boy's large brown eyes searched Gokudera's face, before he started to snicker. "This was such shocking, news worthy news? Ahaha~"

Gokudera blinked, startled by Tsuna's reaction. "Juudaime..." Suddenly he was no longer able to suppress his joy. He pulled the smaller boy into a happy embrace, nearly bawling into his shirt. "I didn't know you thought so highly of me! I'm so honoured!"

Tsuna gave an awkward laugh, not knowing how to react to a 'bawling' Gokudera. "A...aha, Gokudera-kun, you know, that right-hand man stuff doesn't matter to me, you're just my very important friend." He grinned at the Italian before hearing the snap of a whip from around the corner and recoiling. "H-HII? W-What was that?"

Gokudera flew back from his somewhat embarrassing position and glanced around cautiously, his eyes narrowed. "Get behind me Juudaime..."

Tsuna happily complied, fleeing behind the taller boy and peeking over his shoulders. "W-What's going on? Can you see anyone?" His lip quivered. _Why must I become a Mafia Boss? Uwahh._

"Whoa there Kyoya! Calm down already," came a cry from the trees. Gokudera's attention snapped towards the commotion.

"There's someone there Juudaime. Get ready..."

Tsuna didn't think he'd ever be ready for the mafia, so he settled for pulling his arms up to his chest and frowning over Gokudera's shoulder. "O-Okay- UWAHH!" He let out a shriek of surprise as he felt a shoe stomp square on his back, knocking him and Gokudera to the ground.

Hibari jumped back from the Cavallone, moving into the street to get more room. He used some bystander as leverage as he gained his composure, turning back to his opponent in the woods. Then he took notice of who lay in front of him. "...Out of my way, herbivores, I have someone to bite to death."

Gokudera managed to slip out from under a shocked Tsuna, flipping the boy onto his back and checking all vitals in a quick, professional manner. After assuring that he was alright he flew to his feet in a huff and rounded on the black haired assailant. "Oi! Bastard! What the hell was that for?"

"Yeah Kyoya," Dino Cavallone said walking up behind the two teens casually. ", you didn't need to be so roug-YEEAH," he cried as Hibari charged forward.

Hibari rushed towards the blonde, smacking him clean across the face with his tonfa, annoyance in his eyes. "I don't need a life lesson from you, you vouching pedophile."

Tsuna shook the stars from his vision, and was appalled by the first thing he heard _"...vouching pedophile"_ His mouth agape, he sat up to regard a fallen Dino. "...WHAT?"

Gokudera's fists were shaking as Hibari ignored him and leapt for the Bucking Bronco. Dino went down with a cry and a thud and his boss suddenly came to with a befuddled exclamation. As all of this was occurring around him the anger inside began to build and build... as per the usual.

"Awwauuugh," Dino groaned, rubbing his quickly bruising nose. "That was a little over the top Kyoya..."

The raven-haired boy glared at the fallen Mafioso. "I was a little over the top. I WAS? Who was the one who fucking molested me in your apartment?" His cheeks turned red with rage.

Tsuna couldn't believe his eyes, or his ears. Hibari Kyoya, most feared of all 15 year olds, was screeching. And blushing. He felt the apocalypse on the rise.

"Hey now!," the blonde retaliated, pulling himself up onto his elbows. "Who MOLESTED you! I was simply offering you a place for the night because SOMEBODY couldn't even remember where they LIVED! Also, if I remember correctly..." Dino let a smirk come across his features. ",_you_ were the one who _willingly_ attempted to give me..." here he paused dramatically. "...The kiss of life." The word hung in the air like a time bomb. Ticking. Ticking...

Gokudera who had been only seconds away from his imminent explosion of rage choked on his own words... literally, and began hacking and wheezing, too shocked at Dino's words to form an intelligent thought.

The flames of rage could be seen forming behind Hibari. A grin spread across his face, one that most certainly meant pain. "_Oh?_ The kiss of life, was it. From what I remember, I was inspecting your dead body when you shot up and stole my innocence. You want one so badly, Bronco? Prepare for the kiss of death." He raised his tonfa, stepping forward slowly as he cracked his neck.

Tsuna realised that if they did not flee the premises, that there was a high chance of vaporisation. He slowly scooted towards Gokudera, yanking on his sleeve and mouthing the word _"RUN."_

"That's not how Romario described..." Realising the intent in the younger boy's eyes, the near sick glee in his words, Dino very reasonably began fearing for his life. Finding strength he never knew he possessed, he rushed to his feet and began backing away, arms out protectively before him. "Let's just... think about this a moment Kyoya..."

Gokudera was not sure how long his brain remained inactive, but after a good while he began to feel a desperate tugging on his sleeve. He turned his head down, at the speed of a zombie and regarded the terrified boy below, mouthing the word "run" like a mantra.

"Juu...daime?"

Hibari cackled, shadows forming on his face. "Oh, you silly man. You had plenty of time to think about it before hand. Now, you only have time to repent your sins." He took another step forward, twirling his weapons effortlessly.

Tsuna clung to Gokudera, the malice pouring from Hibari making him fear for Dino's life...and their own lives. He shook the Italian again, looking at him with pleading eyes.

Gokudera snapped out of his trance just as an enormous explosion obliterated the scene, causing him to jump back, incidentally taking Tsuna, who was attached to him like a barb, along with him. "Juudaime!," he cried, somehow manoeuvring himself so that he was protecting the Tenth from harm with his own body. He cringed as he felt large pieces of something hard assail him relentlessly.

Dino screamed like a girl as he was blown through a stone wall that bordered the street. He miraculously did not lose consciousness, but as he lifted his head, ever so slightly and opened an eye, he was able to make out the form of Kyoya, standing immobile, seemingly staring at something through the haze.

Tsuna squeaked as he felt himself yanked back, flinching as debris flew past them. He shut his eyes tightly bracing for impact..._W-What? W-Why aren't I being hit?_ He opened an eye to see the brunt of the blows being taken by Gokudera. "G-Gokudera-Kun!" He pulled the silverette down, trying to keep the asphalt from hitting him anymore.

Hibari stood un-phased as he watched his 'acquaintances' be blown away by a feeble explosion. He glanced downward, noticing a small figure boasting its 'victory'.

"GUWAHAHAHA! LAMBO-SAN GOT YOU, STUPIDERA!" The small Bovino child cackled evilly, throwing pink grenades this way and that, which fortunately, he was to stupid to un-pin.

This victory was cut short as another small figure appeared from above, sporting a green parachute, which quickly morphed into a rather large cinder block. Both the child and the block fell down onto the celebrating cow child. "Idiot," came a small voice. "Come on. You're brainless actions are disturbing these fine young gentlemen." Without further protest from the nearly crushed former, Reborn picked up the once again transformed lizard Leon and aimed the newly made gun barrel at the afroed head. With a bang and a squeal, Lambo blasted off into the sky. "Well. I'll leave you to it, then." And Reborn was gone.

"Stupid...cow...," Gokudera muttered, his eyes shadowed over. He suddenly remembered the situation they were in and looked over to Tsuna who had pulled him down so that he was nearly bent over double. From what he could see, the smaller boy was breathing hard, his chest rising and falling quickly. "Juu-Juudaime... You can let me up now..."

Dino, confused and utterly exhausted began to pick himself up shakily, once again.

Tsuna opened his eyes, relaxing a bit when he noticed that Reborn was no longer around. He turned his attention to Gokudera, when he realised he was talking. Then he noticed what he was doing. "H-Hiii!," He immediately let go, "S-Sorry!"

Hibari stood in the middle of the wrecked street, glaring at the damage. That child had ruined a part of his beloved Namimori, and he wouldn't forget it. Turning his back on the situation, he concealed his Tonfa and left for his favourite place, Namimori Junior High.

Gokudera straightened up immediately and spun around to regard his boss. "No, no. Are you hurt anywhere?" His eyes franticly searched for any signs of serious damage, but were met by only a few small scrapes and nicks. None the less, he felt responsible for not being able to protect Tsuna completely.

Seeing Kyoya moving to leave, Dino's logic went out the window and he hobbled to his feet, pitifully trying to follow the student. "Kyoya... Hey, Kyoya... Wait up..."

Tsuna flashed a deadpan stare at Gokudera. "Seriously." He sighed, reaching into his pocket a producing a box of band aids. "...My mom makes me take these with me everywhere. Here, lemme fix that..." He pulled a couple band aids from the box and proceeded to patch up where the Italian boy was bleeding.

Hibari froze. Right. He was supposed to kill that thing. He turned to look at the blonde hobbling towards him, and inwardly laughed at his patheticness. "..." he rolled his eyes. What would be the fun in beating him now, when he's already so degraded?

So the pair strode/hobbled off into the sunset together, the former completely ignoring the latter's very existence.

Gokudera's eyes traveled over the concerned features of his boss in awe. Always so caring, so kind... He reached up a hand and gently grabbed Tsuna's as the boy placed a band aid on his cheek. Realising his actions, he cleared his throat and turned his head away. "Juudaime, I'm supposed to be doing this sort of stuff. Don't worry about me" He grinned and made a thumbs up gesture, scarily reminding himself of a certain baseball freak. "Is there anywhere you think you could use one?" The guilt in his stomach for letting this even happen was churning painfully...

Tsuna snapped his eyes up to meet the other's, giving him his best attempt at a glare. "Will you stop that?" he snapped, forcefully sticking a band aid on him, "You're always concerned about me, when you could be more concerned about the blood flowing out of your face! Jeez..." He frowned, continuing his task.

Gokudera was shocked at the tone of Tsuna's voice and especially the force he used applying another band aid. He hung his head, unable to hide the distress in his eyes. Sometimes Tsuna cared too much. What was going to happen when Gokudera really needed to protect him? What if he were to try and intervene? What if he was seriously hurt?

Tsuna regarded his 'right hand man', his eyes softening slightly. "...Will you quit thinking so much?" He let out a shaky laugh, putting away his amazing first aid kit as he finished up. "Your forehead is going to crease if your brow is always furrowed." He grinned.

"Heh. Yeah, maybe..." Being a master at lightening the mood, Gokudera proceeded to act uncharacteristically cheery, grinning from ear to ear. "Well, it's been a long day Juudaime! Why don't we go back to your house and finish up that history assignment?"

Tsuna frowned. Didn't he know about his hyper intuition? He rolled his eyes smiling slightly. "Fine fine. But Gokudera, for future notice, you're not that hard to read." He got to his feet with a huff, brushing the dirt of his pants and smiling down at his friend.

Gokudera sighed, but it wasn't a negative gesture. He stood after his boss and stretched out, his arms behind his head. "Heh," he chuckled, feeling genuinely better. Tsuna was able to make any mood feel uplifting to a point.

Tsuna happily made his way back to the house, glad to be away from that scene of carnage, and from what now on will be horrible memories of Hibari. As he reached the house, his mother was outside doing the laundry, ready to great the boys. After a through scolding of injuries, she allowed them to go inside.

Gokudera, a little embarrassed by Tsuna's mom's caring nature, made his way through the front door, feeling like he was truly at home. Suddenly he was alerted to another presence in the room, which was usually normal, seeing as the house was quite packed... but this... was...

"Hey there Tsuna! Gokudera!," Yamamoto Takashi exclaimed happily, with a wave, greeting his two friends.

A huge grin split Tsuna's face as he saw his friend, "Yamamoto!" He laughed as he waved back. "What're you doing here?"

A huge frown split Gokudera's face as he ignored the idiot baseball freak. He grumbled a bit to himself and threw himself down at the kitchen table, arms crossed.

"Oh, I ran into your mom as I was picking up some ingredients for my dad and offered to help carry her groceries home. I just got done putting them away actually. Where have you guys been?," he questioned curiously.

Tsuna's face paled as he recalled the events from earlier. "Yamamoto...you'll sleep better at night if I don't tell you." He shivered.

"Don't tell me," he began glancing towards Gokudera, ", that Gokudera got into a fight? You're covered in band aids!"

Gokudera scowled and slammed a fist down on the table. "I wasn't in a fight idiot! While you were off being Mr. Nice Guy, I was protecting Juudaime from a very dangerous assaulter! Thanks a lot for the help by the way!" He harrumphed and turned his head away from the offending sight.

Tsuna buried his face in his hands, sighing. "It's nothing to worry about Yama- UWAHHH." Tsuna fell from his position as a blur slammed itself into their glass door, startling the boy, and a laugh was heard from his mother outside. "The door wasn't open, Sasagawa-kun!" she chuckled.

"O-Oi! I can see! I'm extremely sorry, my extreme face made the glass dirty!" He examined the door with interest before yanking it open. "OOOIIIII! SAWADA!...What are you doing on the floor?"

"You idiot Turf Head! Look what you've done," Gokudera cried, rushing down to help Tsuna back up, his sour mood turned downright rotten.

"Ha ha! Hey there Senpai!," Yamamoto cried, completely unaffected by the aforementioned's outburst of rage.

Tsuna winced at the loud shouting in his house. Why does this always happen? "O-Onii-san, is there something you needed?" He glanced up at the boxer, bracing himself for another extreme speech.

"..." The elder of the bunch stared at Tsuna blankly before punching his fists together "OH YEAH. Kyoko sent me here on an extreme mission. Something about cake. Did you make a cake?...Maybe I was supposed to go to the Sawado Cake shop...Did my extreme ears fool me?" He frowned, a look of deep concentration spreading across his face.

Yamamoto laughed cheerily at Ryohei's apparent mix up, reaching down to help Tsuna up, since Gokudera seemed to intent on staring angrily at the white haired boy. "Here we go Tsuna!"

"O-Oi! I don't need any help!" Gokudera swatted the other's hand away and quite by accident, forcefully yanked his boss to his feet in a rush, grinning triumphantly at his "opponent."

Tsuna yelped as he was pulled up, first naturally, then violently. He sighed. His friends didn't really get along, did they?

Ryohei stood with his fists on his hips, deep in thought. Then realization lit up his features. "OI. Yeah. The cake shop. Haru...dress...sleepover...extreme party..." He was rambling off points of their conversation out loud, then he turned back to the trio. "EXTREMELY SORRY FOR THE INTURUPTION. I'll be on my way. This is an extreme chance to train." Ryohei turned to leave, putting up his fists, then punching the air as he left the scene.

"Well then, I should probably be off too. Still need to get these ingredients to my old man," Yamamoto explained, moving towards the counter and picking up a grocery bag. Hope you guys have a nice night. See you both tomorrow!" With another signature grin and a wave, he walked to the door, opened it, called a goodbye to Nana Sawada and disappeared down the walk.

Gokudera sighed loudly. "Finally, those two loose cannons are gone. Man, they cause such a ruckus," he explained, nodding as if to agree with himself.

Tsuna gave a nervous chuckle, simply glad for the house to be quiet again. He turned back to his friend, "Well, should we get started on that..." he sighed forlornly, "...history project?" He started to saunter towards the stairs, not really wanting to work during the weekend.

Noticing the hopeless aura surrounding the Tenth, Gokudera was (shamefully) delighted. He was obviously the perfect tutor when it came to schoolwork. He would lead his boss to victory in the field of middle school homework for sure!

When the pair reached Tsuna's room, he was delighted to see that no babies with weapons or certain purple haired females were within. At least it wouldn't be loud, besides Gokudera's...enthusiastic teaching. He plopped down next to his table, grabbing various papers from the project off the floor and stared blankly at what was written.

Gokudera plopped down happily next to Tsuna and flew immediately into a long winded , one sided discussion about the project they were working on, how he was finished and all forty pages of criteria he'd practically made up himself. When he was finally done, he glanced over to see that Tsuna's eyes were glazed over as if he were asleep.

In fact, he kinda was. The minute Gokudera's eyes fell on him, he slammed his head on the table and began to snore lightly, not a single piece of information retained.

Gokudera nearly choked when Tsuna's head hit the table with a thump and he reached a hand out, too late to help any. At first he was annoyed, pushing his rarely used glasses up on his nose and putting his hand on the smaller boy's shoulder, his intent to wake him. But then he saw his face... The peaceful expression and he sighed with a tender look in his eyes. "I can't do the work for him. What kind of right hand man would that make me? But... maybe if I helped organize these notes..."

Ah. The bliss of sleep. No scientific rambling or violent battles here. Tsuna chuckled at his sleep-thoughts, and, much to his embarrassment if he had been awake, began to drool. All over his notes.

_Damn..._, Gokudera noticed the suddenly dampening notes and retracted his hand, looking up to see Tsuna chuckling to himself in his sleep. Gokudera smiled and felt something creep across his cheeks... He shook his head. There was no way he was blushing! Maybe the work could wait. Their Sensei wouldn't be surprised if Tsuna didn't pass in his work and would probably pass him anyway. Gokudera stood, gathering his own notes and sat down on the Tenth's bed. "I wonder if I should move him... Would he wake up?"

The likely hood of that was...unlikely. Tsuna began to dream, as he could see a peaceful field full of flowers. Then he saw Hibari and Dino run pass, laughing merrily. He began to cringe outwardly, shifting uncomfortably. When Hibari giggled and twirled, his white summer dress pooling out, that's when Tsuna woke up with a shriek. "HOLY GOD."

Well this was a somewhat compromising situation. Gokudera could only wonder if Tsuna was screaming at the fact the he was being carried bridal style by his right hand man over towards his bed, or if some other means had disturbed his slumber. Gokudera found this unlikely and began to stutter, trying to explain.

Tsuna hyperventilated, the image of Hibari giggling and skipping with Dino BURNED into his retinas. Then he suddenly realised that he was free of his nightmare, only to be face first with a rather flustered Gokudera. "...H-Huh? Gokudera?...Why am I up so high?"

"You were- and then there was- so I thought- but I never knew- and it's really not...," was all the shell shocked teen could manage as those brown eyes bore into him curiously, a somewhat haunted look to them.

Tsuna didn't think much of this, as he was used to Gokudera's shenanigans. He then tried to get up, not really registering that he was being carried, only to cause himself to become unbalanced. He let out a squeak and subconsciously grabbed on to Gokudera, flabbergasted. "E-Ehh? W-What?"

Because of Tsuna's sudden decision to start flailing around in a daze, then proceeding to grab Gokudera in a near stranglehold, the silverette was forced to lose his balance, toppling over onto Tsuna's bed... pinning the smaller boy beneath him. He felt his face turn bright red in... embarrassment? He made to get up, but his hands got tangled in Tsuna's bed sheets and he only collapsed again, sputtering and stuttering like a fish out of water.

Tsuna winced as they both toppled onto the bed, glad that at least the surface was soft, He opened his eyes and was greeted with a bright red, sputtering Gokudera, who seemed to be off balance. Tsuna let out a shaky laugh, and also tried to get up, finding this impossible, so he just stared up at Gokudera...and began to laugh so hard his eyes started to tear up.

Gokudera ceased his frantic struggles, noticing the mirth in Tsuna's laugh. He was laughing so hard, the Italian didn't know whether to be relieved or worried. He finally was able to lift himself a bit so that his hands were on either side of Tsuna's smiling face. Despite his internal warnings he couldn't help but picture this from an outsider's point of view and he felt even more blood rush to his face as he remained frozen over his boss.

Tsuna's laughter eventually turned to giggles, as he wiped his eyes to observe the other boy. He looked so conflicted, that Tsuna let out another string of giggles. "Pfft... G-Gokudera-kun...you...you're face...pffffffft!" he laughed again, his hands holding his sides. How could one guy look so horrified and so...red?

Gokudera gulped and tried to smile, but when he moved his hand to try and push himself up he ended up whacking Tsuna in the face in the process. "S-SORRY! I'M SO SORRY JUUDAIME!" In his distress he accidentally lost his balance again and flipped off the bed, pulling the sheets and the other boy with him onto the floor.

"HIII!" Tsuna left himself being entangled in the sheets and landed on the other. This was just way too...Dino-esc. He then noticed...that he couldn't really see anything. He was in a cocoon of blankets. And his arms were rendered immobile. Oh dear lord, he was helpless...It was moments like these when he thought about why HE had to be a mafia boss. Bed sheets could defeat him.

Gokudera knocked his head upon impact and was a little dazed for a moment. When he became fully aware again he noticed the lump of twitching blankets resting on him. He lifted a hand and flipped the nearest corner of fabric up, exposing a brown head and two pleading eyes.

Tsuna glanced at the other, grinning. "Well now. This is a tad bit awkward." He laughed, trying to make light of the already humorous- to him anyway- situation.

Tsuna's laughing little face poking out of the covers made Gokudera feel somewhat like a fiend. He began prying them off of his boss, trying not to send the boy colliding with the floor in the process. He'd already caused enough damage with his little punt to the face earlier. Without really thinking about it he raised his hand and cupped the cheek he'd punched, worried that he'd harmed him.

Tsuna raised his eyebrows at the touch, his eyes searching the others. "U-Uh...Gokudera-kun? What's wrong?"

Pulling his hand back with a horrified expression he was successfully able to, this time, smack himself in the head, flailing around so that Tsuna rolled off of him and in his desperate attempts at finding his sanity, he was able to trip over the brunette and come crashing back down again.

Tsuna was really lost here. Who replaced Gokudera with Dino? He didn't really know what to do in such a situation, the fact that Gokudera seemed panicked worried him. Was something that wrong? To him, it just seemed like a huge, collaborate fail. "G-Gokudera-kun, are you okay?"

He was not. In the least. To hide his utter embarrassment and shame, he opted not to respond. He remained immobile, just wishing Tsuna would do... something...

The lack of response worried him. A lot. He pulled himself up to face Gokudera, and grabbed his shoulders, shaking him lightly. "Gokudera! Snap out of it! Gokudera!"

Gokudera fully believed that if he did not answer, Tsuna would rush away to find help and that would be his chance to... (not run away) remove himself from the setting in a rather sneaky way without the Tenth's prior knowledge. Yeah... that's what it was.

Tsuna was more than a little concerned now. Gokudera was ignoring him. Gokudera NEVER ignored him, he usually went out of his way to pay attention to him. Tsuna could only figure out one, horribly wrong solution. His eyes searched Gokudera's once more, before he looked down at his own shirt. "...Did I make you angry?" He refused to make eye contact again, not wanting to know.

Gokudera mentally choked. So much for that plan. So the gone-into-a-state-of-shock story was out the window. He looked up and saw the sadness etched into his boss' features and his mask broke into a face of regret. "N-NO! Juudaime! I was just.. .a little dazed and..." Lying was not something that was befitting of a right hand man. Gokudera closed his eyes and screwed up his face, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Please. Forgive my actions. I was acting... unreasonable." He still hadn't really explained...

A shadow fell over Tsuna's face as his hyper intuition sparked up. He clenched onto the sheets around him, refusing to meet the others eyes. "Why...are you always so formal with me? I consider you a friend...do you only see us as boss and subordinate?" His voice quivered a bit, and he tried his best not to let the Italian notice.

Gokudera sat up, his hand outstretched as if to try and comfort Tsuna somehow. He could hardly stand the look on the boy's face. Was it all his fault. He let his hand drop along with his gaze. "I...I'm glad. I'm really glad Juudaime, but first and foremost... you are... you're Juudaime. I have to put my all into being your right hand, to defending you, or else... How can friendship mean anything if you're not there to enjoy it because I let you down!" Passion lit the silverette's eyes as he tried to get his point across.

Tsuna flinched the moment Gokudera started. First and foremost...? He met the other's eyes, his own cold ones. The second the silverette finished, he raised his hand and slapped him. He got up in one quick movement, his determination easily freeing him of the bed sheets. "I can see how you feel now. Finish getting your stuff, and go home, Gokudera." Tsuna gripped his own shirt tightly, refusing to look at the other anymore. He couldn't believe what he had heard.

His eyes were wide. He felt his cheek stinging, but it was a very minor thing compared to the panic rising in his chest. The tone of voice. The cold stare. Tsuna, Juudaime, was all but dismissing him. He'd told him to leave. He wanted him gone... As the Tenth's right hand, he could only oblige... but as a friend. As Tsuna's friend... he couldn't walk away. "No," he said quietly, hardly believing his own ears. He'd just refused a clear and direct order.

Tsuna turned to him, still not convinced. Now or never, he thought. Better get it out of his system. He looked Gokudera straight in the eye, and took a breath, "Everyday. Its 'Juudaime', 'Juudaime'. When ever something happens, you slam your head against something and beg for forgiveness rather than laugh it off like the rest of us. You take every little comment against me like it'll start world war III, and rather than being concerned about your own safety, you think it'll make us feel better if you kill yourself trying to save us!" By now, his voice was almost a screech, "We all consider you our friend, but you only see us as team mates, rivals, idiots or 'Juudaime'." His voice dropped to a whisper near the end, and he could feel his eyes watering up.

Gokudera absorbed everything Tsuna said with an expressionless face, letting the other boy say all that he wanted to. It all came with such heart. Gokudera had one chance left to say what he needed to say, without further upsetting Tsuna. He was worried though, so worried, that the other boy wouldn't like what he truly needed to express. Could he make Tsuna understand...? "I... I know I'm not... exactly like everyone else when it comes to how I treat people. I know that I get worked up easy and throw comments around all the time... I can't help sometimes, but feel responsible when something bad happens to us, because, I gotta be there for you, you know? I take my job seriously, but that doesn't mean that I don't take our friendship just as seriously... It's... more than just being part of the mafia and more than being friends and having the time to spend with each other. I know it doesn't seem like it, but I don't feel like I'm missing out on any of either. I... I do the things I do and act how I act because... I care. I dunno how else to say it. If I didn't act the way I did... I'd have no clue how to even express myself..."

Tsuna paused, listening to him, before he let out a dry laugh, and wiped his eyes, "I never doubted that you cared, Gokudera, or your loyalty. What I want to know...If I wasn't the 10th Vongola mafia boss, If I was just Sawada Tsunayoshi - and what if someday I'm not, I deny the inheritance? If that happened..." He trailed off, trying to think, "If that happened, would you still be here?" he fidgeted with the hem of his shirt, he wasn't accustom to such serious conversations, and it was making him anxious.

"I thought you'd know this by now... I'm your right hand man. I'll always be by your side," he said with a slightly desperate grin.

Tsuna bit his lower lip, and sat down again, holding his knees to his chest. "If that's really true, Gokudera, you have to make me a promise." He looked the other in the eye, and flashed a slight smile, "Please don't call me Juudaime anymore."

Gokudera blinked, not expecting that request at all. He'd been thinking it would be something like ' don't get yourself killed for me,' which would have been, in all honesty, much easier to agree to. "I...I mean..." Was it really that important? He could tell by looking at Tsuna's face that it was. He'd been taught more respect than that, but... if Tsuna really wished it... "Alright... Ts-

"Good Job! You pass!," came a small voice as Reborn floated in through the window, using Leon as an umbrella.

Tsuna's eyes widened to unimaginable proportions. "R-REBORN! GET OUT!" Tsuna, feeling quite...insane, thought it best to throw a pillow at the intruding baby. Something he'd likely die for.

Reborn easily dodged the pillow and planted his feet in Tsuna's face, totally ignoring his request. "I thought maybe if I told you how great of a guardian you were Gokudera, it would go to your head and you'd get too cocky, but you've surprised me. In this little conversation I've witnessed, I'm able to see that you really are fitted for the task... even though you still have a ways to go," the infant said with a smirk.

Gokudera stared incredulously.

Tsuna would have as well, if it weren't for Reborn standing on his face. "...I...Hate...You...Reborn." he managed to choke out.

Reborn hopped down off his face and laughed a bit. "How many times do you think I've heard that from my pupils?"

"W-Wait! This was all a...test! Juudaime, did you, were you...?"

Tsuna looked absolutely hurt by the fact that Gokudera, within two minutes, broke his promise. "N-No...I wasn't...This was all Reborn's sick, manipulative fun..."

"A lesson Hapless Tsuna. Not fun and games."

"Oh... I see," Noticing the look of distress on Tsuna's face Gokudera nearly slapped himself for being so careless.

Tsuna pouted. His anger and frustration from before totally dead, he was only able to muster some mild angst. He frowned at Reborn, squinting his eyes. "Oh god, you just have to get your little baby fingers in everything, rrrrr."

Reborn delivered a smarting kick to the face. "Ungrateful Tsuna," he muttered. "Well, now that that's over with I believe Mama has something cooking for supper. Seeya." And without further ado he was out the door, heading to the kitchen.

Gokudera looked over at Tsuna's foot-printed face and despite himself, he chuckled.

Tsuna blinked. _What the hell? _He looked incredulously at Gokudera, and upon seeing him laugh...all his bottled angst just popped, and he began to snicker as well.

"We've had quite the evening... I think Reborn's right. Something sure smells good." He looked to his boss...,his friend and stood, holding out a hand. "Mind if I stay for supper... Tsuna?"

Tsuna accepted the hand and flashed a beaming smile at the boy, "That'd be great... Hayato."

* * *

So there you go! Yes there were many mistakes, but this fic was all for fun, so as I like to say... MEH. My wonerful co-writer and I (contactish info is in the other fic...) would like to thank you for being so awesome. Just a little note: This story is sort of a sequel to Dino and Hiba's Magical Adventure, so the part where they popped up and started throwing comments around makes more sense if you've read it. (shameless advertising xD) Also, the bedsheets thing is a pun based off of that story.

Thanks so much for reading. Leave a comment (pleaaasse) if you so desire! :D


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